Stability device.



'1". NYILAS.

STABILITY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED rnB.2s,1911.

1,032,233., i Patented July 9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. I

WITNESSES: I lIVI/ENTUI? fiwnav'sJ/yflas. j I y V ATTORNEYS FRANCIS NY ILAS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STABILITY DEVICE.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1912.

Application filed February 23, 1911. Serial No. 610,151.

To all who-71bit may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS NYILA'S, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Stability Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a new and improved stability device generally adapted to be applied to moving bodies, and more particularly adapted to be aplied to aeroplanes.

An object of my invention is to lower the center of gravity below the center of buoyancy of the floating body.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device'performing the function of my invention, and which will at thesame time,

maintain the center of gravity in a stationary position with reference to the center of buoyancy, irrespective of any force which might tend to change this relation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for attachment to aeroplanes, which will lower the center of gravity during the flight of the aeroplane, and which is provided with means whereby said device may be moved up parallel with the aeroplane during the landing, to economize storage space.

lVith the above and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the present invention consists in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. c i i Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which-'- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane in flight, showing a preferred embodiment of my device attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. -1, but showing the aeroplane resting on the ground; Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the brace plates to which the pendant is fulcrumed; Fig. 4-is a detailed perspective view showing the lower end of the pendant together with a pivoted stabilizing mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a'stabilizing mechanism rigidly aflixed to the pendant.

Depending below the center of gravity of any form of aeroplane A, are disposed two parallel guiding plates 5-5, extending long tudinally on each side of a longitudinal medial plane taken horizontally through the device. These plates are supported from the framework of-the aeroplaneby any suit-- able form of braces 6, so disposed and arranged that the plates 5 will be maintained rigidly in vertical position. Interposed between these plates 5' and fulcrumed at 7, 1s a relatively-long pendant 8, having a short upper rectangular bracing end 9 fitting between the two plates, and a relatively long arm 10 terminating in a heavy bob 11 preferably of metal and filled with mercury; The fulcrum point 7 extends transversely between the plates 5 and is positioned in perpendicular alinement with the center of buoyancy of the aeroplane. It will be seen from this construction that the pendant may swing only in one plane, that is, in the vertical longitudinal plane of the machine. In order to maintain this pendant in a perpendicular position while the 'machine is in flight, there is attached to the pendant just above the bob 11, a horizontal aileron 12, which may be of any suitable configuration, preferably in the form shown, which aileron will be maintained in a horizontal position while in flight, that is, substantially in a plane at right angles to the line of direction of the pendant 8. This aileron 12 maybe rigidly aflixed to the pendant 8 (as shown in Fig. 5) in a horizontal plane substantially at right angles to said pendant, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, or it may be pivoted to the pendant as shown in Fig. 4, to permit it to be folded upward, to lie against the pendant 8 or to swing downward into the position shown in Fig. 4. This aileron is of course so' pivoted that it cannot fold downward from the position shown.

It will be seen that as the device floats through the air, the aileron will be main tained in a horizontal position, thereby preventing the pendant from swinging in its longitudinal plane, for, as this aileron is rigidly affixed to the pendant, any swinging front edge is pointing in the direction of the forward line of travel, but if it should be found necessary to so dispose the aileron to 'ofier a slight resistance, in order to maintain the pendant in perpendicular position, I

vary the inclination of the aileron as desired. Centrally disposed in the same horizontal plane with the pendant 8, is a fin 13 also centrally displsed in the transverse center of the aileron and positioned beneath and to the rear of the same.

Rigidly afiixed to the aileron 12, is a bent ash landing skid 14, which is bentaround the bob 11 and extends some material distance in rear of the pendant so as to swing said pendant to the rear and to ease up the settling of the aeroplane while landing, and also to prevent injury to the bob. In order to limit the forward swing of the pendant to about ten degrees, there is disposed transversely between the plates 5, a pin 15, positioned so as to arrest the bracing end 9 when the angle between the vertical and such arrested position of the arm is about ten deees. This will prevent undue shifting of the pendant forward and will also prevent the aeroplane from pitching forward, but, at the same time, will not prevent the pendant from moving back into the folded position shown in Fig. 2. Aremovable pin 19 may be disposed on the side of the end 9 opposite the pin 15, which removable pin 19 may be beveled to permit the end to automatically swing into position between the pins 15 and 19. When it is desired to land the pendant may be manually removed to permit the pendant to fold into the position shown in Fig. 2.

When the aeroplane is on the ground, the long pendant canbe moved on its fulcrum point 7, so as to automatically bring the pendant up under the machine, thereby .economizing storage space. Further, it will be seen that the pendant will fall automatically into its vertical position as the aeroplane rises from the ground, and, likewise,

"this pendant will fold into the position shown in Fig. 2, that is, automatically.

Many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof.

preted as illustrative and not in a limiting -'sense.' It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is merely intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween, and that materials, sizes and relativities of parts are non-essential, except as called for in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an aeroplane, spaced-apart plates disposed beneath the center of gravity of said aeroplane, a pendant fulcrumed between said plates, and means controlled by the air pressure against said means, maintaining said pendant in position beneath the center of gravity of said aeroplane.

2. Ina stabilizing device for aeroplanes, means disposed below the aeroplane to change the center of gravity thereof, controlling mechanisms attached to said means maintaining the same in stabilizing position by the reaction of the air against the same while the aeroplane is in flight.

3. In a stabilizing device for aeroplanes, a pivoted pendant free to swing in a vertical plane, a bob on said pendant whereby said pendant is maintained in vertical position, and a landing skid partially surrounding said bob.

4. As a means for lowering the center of gravity of an aeroplane, a pair of plates disposed beneath said center of gravity, a pendant hinged between said plates, whereby said pendant is capable of-moving in but one plane, and means positioned on said plates limiting the movement of said pendant.

5. In an aeroplane, a freely swinging pendant pivotedbelow the center of gravity of-said aeroplane, to automatically lower the center of gravity of the same, and an aileron extending rearwardly from said pendant while in flight, adapted to maintain the pendant in vertical position.

6. In an aeroplane, a freely swinging pendant ivoted intermediate its length to the aerop ane, a bob on the lower end of said pendant tending to deaden the swings, and stops adj acent the up er end of said pendant to limitthe amplitu e of the swings, one of said stops being removable, whereby the pendant may be permitted to swing to and tally from said pendant whilethe aeroplane is in flight, to automatically maintain the same in a predetermined position.

9. In an air craft, two vertical parallel guiding plates extending longitudinally below the center of gravity of the aeroplane and spaced apart, braces supporting said plates, and a pendant fulcrumed intermediate its length between said plates, said fulcrum being in perpendicular alin'ement with said center of gravity, whereby said pendant is permitted to swing only in a vertical plane containing said center of gravity, to lower the center of gravity in said plane.

10. In an air craft, a pivoted pendant adapted to lower the center of gravity of the craft, and an aileron affixed to said pendant, whereby the pressure of the airagainst said aileron when the pendant has swung from a normal position, will restore said pendant to said position. i

11. I11 an air :craft, a pivoted pendant adapted to lower the center of gravity of the craft, and an aileron rigidly aflixed'to said pendant, whereby the pressure of the air against said aileron ivhen the pendant has swung from a perpendicular position will restore said pendant to said position.

.12. In an aeroplane, a weighted pendant, and an aileron positioned on saidpendant, said aileron disposed at'an angle to said pendant, to offer a.slight air resistance to the forward movement of the pendant, to maintain the same in perpendicular position while in flight.

13. In an aeroplane, a freely swinging pendant, and a uniplanar member rigidly attached to said pendantto offer a minimum resistance to; the passage of the pendant through the air.

H. In aii aeroplane, a pendant, an aileron rigidly aflixed to said pendant, and a vertical fin centrally disposed in the transverse center of said aileron.

15. In a stabilizing device for aeroplanes, a swinging pendant, and means on said pendant actuated by the air'resistance to the forward movement of the same, automatically maintaining said pendant in vertical position.

16. In a means for lowering the center of gravity of-an aeroplane, an unconstrained pendant. positioned below the center of gravlty of the aeroplane, and having a single connection therewith, and an aileron automatically maintaining said pendant in its position during the flight of the aeroplane.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANCIS NYILAS.

Witnesses W. S. On'ron,

PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs. 

